Getting Started with Docker

What is Docker? 

Docker is a tool designed to make it easier to create, deploy, and run applications by using containers. Containers allow a developer to package  an application with all the parts it needs, such as libraries and other dependencies, and ship it all out as one package.

Benefits Of Docker.

  • Standardization & productivity
  • Compatibility & maintainability.
  • Simplicity & faster configurations
  • Rapid Deployment
  • Continuous Deployment & Testing

I want to use docker

1. Install Docker on your OS

On Mac:


2. Create a DockerFile/ Download an exiting docker file. It is also called a Docker image

docker pull nginx


It will download the latest docker file from


Lets check if the docker image is downloaded

docker images

You should be able to see the nginx “image”

3. Create a running container out of an image

docker run --name my-nginx-container -d nginx

You will see a container Id on your screen. It means the container is running.

4. How do I know docker container is running?

docker ps -a
5da9156d8480 nginx "nginx -g 'daemon ..." 51 seconds ago Up 51 seconds 80/tcp my-nginx-container.

This means the container is running and you can cross check first few characters of the containerId

5. How do I know what is running inside the container?

Let’s map a port from the outside (your laptop) to a docker port (inside the container)

Outside port: 8080

Docker Port: 80

(In this case, a new container will be created)

docker tun --name my-nginx-container2 -d -p 8080:80 nginx

Reach port 8080 on localhost

curl localhost:8080

Voila !! nginx is running on your machine inside a Docker container.

READ: for more info and complex cases.

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